In general, it is desirable to minimize the invasiveness of medical procedures. These medical procedures may include therapeutic or diagnostic medical procedures. Invasive medical procedures are generally more expensive, and there is generally a greater risk of complication and discomfort for the patient. For example, open surgery, for a therapeutic or diagnostic purpose, is an invasive medical procedure with significant attendant risks. Since the performance of open surgery typically requires relatively large incisions, relatively large amounts of blood may be lost, the risk of infection may increase, and the potential for post-operative hernias may be higher. Furthermore, relatively large incisions require extended recovery times to allow the incisions to heal.
Certain medical procedures, such as laparoscopic procedures, are generally less invasive than open surgery. Laparoscopic cholesystectomy (lap choly) is a laparoscopic procedure that involves incisions through the skin to access various body organs. For example, lap choly may involve access through a small incision in the skin and placement of a port into the peritoneal cavity to allow removal of an inflamed gall bladder. A working instrument may be introduced into the body through the port. The working instrument may be a flexible instrument, such as an endoscope, introduced into the body to further access the inside of the body. A surgeon may use ports and working instruments to perform any desired therapeutic or diagnostic procedure at a work site inside the body.
Although growing capabilities of devices, such as endoscopes, allow physicians to perform an increasing variety of surgeries through minimally invasive routes, further refinements may allow even less traumatic surgical access and/or performance of traditional open surgical or laparoscopic procedures. Accordingly, methods and devices that improve access would be beneficial. The medical devices and related methods of the present disclosure are directed to improvements in the existing technology.